An inspector I hired to prepare a report for a property I am looking to purchase didn’t want to go on the roof but does use a drone to scope things out. He originally didn’t share this photo with me until I asked about the application of the TPO roofing. He said it was beyond his scope. Maybe true but this application just looks plain wrong in several aspects.
Can anyone here help me understand why it was NOT brought to attention in the report? Ignore the red markup as that is mine…
Did the inspector put in your report that is was outside the scope and recommend a specialist in that type of roofing? Or did they not say anything at all about it in the report?
That’s one F’ uped roof Imo. Can’t say why the inspector didn’t go up, what was his explanation in the report?
My licensed/certified inspector did not say anything at all in the report until I asked him what he thought about the TPO roof on part. I paid a “reputable” roofer subsequently to go over and check it out. I ask him if that flat area at the bottom of the picture, which is a closet off that room, looked like it was built correctly, eg, was it 2x4 roof rafters and did it seem to be insulated and was on a slab or piers. He didnt have an opinion on it either. I told him it looked like someones weekend project add-on. I specifically asked him if the white nailer strips were normal for a TPO. If the TPO was normal OVER shingles…etc.
He didnt explain why he didnt go up but did say he liked doing inspection with a drone. I didnt know he was not going to be boots on the roof. I wanted that. He didnt call out the lack of drip edge on 60% of it either. Which I think was inadequate too. The roofer I hired said the roof had two layers of shingles and said it was most likely not applicable for a warranty anyways. It has dips between the rafters and is spongy in spots. He didnt call out the algae growing in places over the eves.
Can’t tell anything from a single picture. Certainly can’t tell a thing about the closet construction. The first question that comes to mind is how old is the work? The second is does it leak? The third is what did your roofer say? Two layers of shingle is a problem right off the bat. Don’t expect long wear from that.
Again I’ll ask, what did the report state regarding the roof inspection?
The point of the inspection, and most inspections, is it to find the big ticket items and justify to the seller that there is work to be done or a price reduction is in order. That is why we PAY for a pro to point things out, or so I was hoping. The roofer, another $200 inspection, said the TPO should not go over shingles. No kidding. It’s also inappropriate to put them under the Ridge shingles like that too. And to use a plastic nailer on the edge and and let it flap in the breeze? OMG. He said he didnt see any leaks inside or in the closet. Ok. At least that is a good thing but not good enough in my opinion.
So the first sentence in (C1-1.1) says what? Where is the “kitchen area” based on your pick? Just trying to help figure this out… 
OK. The inspector was reluctant to share ALL the drone shots. I only got two. This is a google satellite from who knows when… That kitchen roof is totally shot and we all knew it before the inspections…moss everywhere on it. But the other roof the owner claims is new since 2015 or so…but no way that is true…it is newly repaired for sure. The kitchen roof is at the top of the photo to the right of the cars. The building has two stories and many planes.
Not sure if the inspector recommended further evaluation by a qualified roofing contractor, but if he did, you should have,
It seems like there were enough roof problems that it makes sense for the inspector to elevate the situation to calling in a roofing professional, which they kinda did.
However, in my opinion, it shouldn’t have been buried at the bottom of the section and basically hidden in the other text. And it should have specifically said a qualified roofing contractor for both asphalt and membrane coverings. Again, just my opinion. Every inspector is different.
Right! “…and Membrane Cover.” What? When does a roof have a membrane cover over shingles and not get better attention in an inspection? I think he should have used the drone photos as a reason to get up there and check it out further.
I asked: I search for the words “drip edge” in the report and do not see it. You did not call out any missing drip edge between the roof shingles and facia? I think this is a major issue and the cause of much wood facia deterioration. I cannot tell if there was any at the TPO edge in owner’s suite closet addition and also a concern of shoddy workmanship and incorrect installation. Needs to be called out specifically as subpar and requiring attention. Inspector said:
When this home was built; drip edge was not even in the building trades terms yet. Since there had never been any installed except it looks like when the roof was redone along only the upper rear roof line, I can not say there was a defect for there was none present that had come loose or shown signs of being taken off. In today’s building, it is a very common construction component though.
Since you have all the information you need to condemn the roof; why are you here? Just a gripe session?
The point is, I shouldn’t have had to call in the specialist to basically fail the roof is my opinion. And yes, a qualified roof inspector/contractor is giving a more indepth opinion, at $200 additional, for the replacement cost, which is significant at $25K plus sheathing materials discovered as needed and facia which is rotten because of no drip edge.
Looks like EPDM from here, not TPO. The photo in the report does not even look like the same house. Basically, I have no idea how to help you.
I see it in the first sentence of the roofing section although I may have been more forthcoming in describing the observed anomalies.
Basically Im not happy that we didnt get what we paid for… and I wanted to justify what I thought about the inspection being inadequate wrt the roof. I knew it was shot. My inspector missed the big flaws and that is huge. It cost me more to prove to the seller there are issues. I came here to get opinions on what his peers thought so I can show him.
